Youth speak September 2021∣Youth Hong Kong
All change Sesame has left Hong Kong to do
l Some are anxious about their academic progress although a few have taken the disruptions in their stride. l All are eager, if cautious, about getting on with life as soon as possible.
Ethan is in Secondary 9 but is
an international foundation course
switching school this year
That special time at the end of term was lost. I have had the same classmates since the second year of high school but there was no chance to create shared memories with them before I left school. It’s a chance that will never come again.
Our attitudes to learning and studying have all changed. It wasn’t easy to learn or understand new concepts and there were lots of technical errors during classes. We couldn't ask the teacher for help faceto-face so there were many misunderstandings.
Still, one thing I liked about staying home during pandemic was fewer tests. Those we had were in openbook format. But without face-to-face interaction, it was hard to concentrate. I had to do a lot of research and sometimes I didn’t even know if I had understood the topic. It was also hard to ignore all the distractions. Our phones and computers have become non-stop essentials. It’s barely possible to ignore them and multi-tasking leads to bad quality work.
I’ve also lost interest in some of the extracurricular activities I used to do because they were all cancelled. The best lessons were on an online platform where we could give our opinions and there were a lot of tasks to complete instead of facing the laptop and doing nothing for a whole hour.
In a new environment, with new people around, I guess I need some time to adjust, but we can hang out together after school, even if we still have to wear masks. Although it is always hard to step out and say “hi” in an unfamiliar place and with people of an unfamiliar culture, I want to be independent and take care of myself without worrying my parents.
That special time at the end of term was lost. 12
l Secondary students have gained self-awareness during the pandemic but all have a sense of regret about lost time with friends.
I think my communication skills have become weaker and it probably won't be as easy to socialize as it used to be. Getting to know new people and becoming friends will take me longer. I am looking forward to my new school as it will be a brandnew experience and everything will be different.
Our attitudes to learning and studying have all changed.
